Pirates' manager of disability initiatives speaks to campus leaders

September 3, 2012

Chaz Kellem, manager of disability initiatives for the Pittsburgh Pirates, speaks to campus resident assistants to kick-off the new school year.

Chaz Kellem's talk to inspire Saint Francis leaders was held on August 21. Kellem was a resident assistant and student leader while in college, and spoke about those experiences and his current job with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was diagnosed with a rare bone disorder at birth, Osteogenesis Imperfecta, which causes bones to break easily. He has had more than 40 broken bones and 12 operations, and gets around with the use of a manual wheelchair.

Nothing slows him down, though; he brings passion, motivation, and energy to his work and to the Pittsburgh community. He coaches a wheelchair basketball team and plays second base for Pittsburgh’s only wheelchair competitive softball team. A graduate of Edinboro University with a degree in sports administration, he told the students that he feels his leadership roles there shaped him, “It was a truly magical place for me as it opened doors, showed me I can be successful and provided me with the knowledge I need to make things happen.” You can learn more about Chaz at http://unbreakabledrive.com/meet-chaz.